Move over ladies! Women aren’t the only one’s rushing to the doctor’s office for cosmetic procedures anymore. The number of men seeking cosmetic treatments has skyrocketed over the past decade. Specifically, there has been a steady increase in minimally invasive cosmetic procedures, such as botox and filler injections, with a 45% increase in overall procedures. In contrast, the percentage of men seeking more invasive surgical procedures such as Rhinoplasty has actually decreased, dropping 48% between 2000 and 2010.
And what’s topping the list? If you guessed Botox, you’d be right. In 2010, 336,834 men made their way to a doctor’s office for their injections. Still, men are only accountable for a mere 6% of all procedures, with women having a total of 5,379,360 procedures in 2010, but the number of Botox injections for males has increased 258% since 2000, prompting the media to coin the term “Boytox.” In addition to wrinkle removal, men are also seeking Botox injections to reduce excessive sweating, contributing to some of these numbers.
What other procedures made the top 5? In 2010, 164,536 men had Laser Hair Removal procedures as part of their “manscaping” regiments, and 158,268 got Microdermabrasion. In fact, men account for nearly 1/5 of patients for each of these procedures. 78,472 received Soft Tissue Fillers, including Radiesse, Juvederm, Sculptra, and Artefill, as well as Fat Transfers. Lastly, 90,297 men received Chemical Peels. All of these procedures showed a dramatic increase since 2000, with the exception of Chemical Peels, although their popularity of has resurged sharply in the past few years as newer methods have been introduced.
The rise in cosmetic procedures among men can be attributed to several factors. The overall landscape of public opinion has changed dramatically in recent years, with the media emphasizing a youthful appearance for men as well as women. Just like the women who seek procedures, male patients want their outward appearance to reflect their inner youthfulness and health. The image of a more polished man, who is concerned about their health and appearance, has become more accepted. The “metrosexual” craze of a few years ago comes to mind. In addition, women are also much more likely to discuss their procedures today than in years past. There isn’t a stigma about cosmetic procedures anymore in the way there used to be, and this trend seems to be carrying over to men. I believe that as the number of men seeking procedures continues to rise, any stigma of cosmetic enhancement seeming “unmasculine” or solely the domain of women will continue to diminish.
There are other strong factors underlying the rise in procedures for men. Due to the aging of the baby-boomer generation and the economic recession, there is more pressure for older men to compete with a younger generation for jobs and romance. With fewer jobs available and more competition, many men seek cosmetic enhancement to give them an edge in landing a job, or keeping the one they have, in the face of a workforce becoming increasingly dominated by younger workers.
Men want to look youthful and attractive just as women do, and like women, men who undergo procedures may experience a boost in their self-esteem and confidence levels. This can empower them to pursue romantic and career opportunities they may not have before.
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